Saturday, October 31, 2009

Second kill of the year.

I was lucky enough to get invited to hunt with doublelung last weekend.Ole "tiretool" showed up as well on Saturday morning, AFTER he decided to forego the use of INDOOR plumbing and kill some grass, and probably some small animals, near the Mount Zion Baptist Church. I will let him tell that story though.

I arrived literally seconds before doublelung did at his "barn" on Friday afternoon.I meant to take some more pictures of the interior of his place but forgot to.Lets just say VERY few hunting cabins are this nice to stay in.

We got there and unloaded a few things and he suggested we go ahead and hang my stand before dark then go get something to eat.He put me in a place that just makes you think "BUCK" as you sit there and look around.Mind you this is some of the most extensively managed pieces of property you will ever step foot on, AND the most fun.Same area where David J took a NICE poplar one year.

After a good meal of Mexican in South Jackson we headed back to the barn and chilled out for the night.Football games, snacks, cold beer (doublelung didn't drink any) and great friends, what else would a man need?I titled this picture, "Preach on brotha"

We got up early the next morning, had some coffee and then headed to the woods.Deer movement was, well zero for quite some time.After getting and sending a few texts we decided that we would come out of the woods about 10:30 and head to the barn.In one of the few seconds the wind wasn't blowing I heard what sounded like a deer walking.I ease around in my stand and see a deer walking towards me. I slowly stand up, get my bow off the hook and get turned around in my stand.I get to watch the deer shake like a wet dog and kinda laugh to myself.About that time, after I got my release on the string loop and was getting positioned for the shot when she got in range I caught movement to my left.18 yards and there is a second deer, moving from left to right.I draw back, she steps out and THUMP. I watch her jump a bit and run a few yards then just stop in the logging road. She stood there, flicking her tail, then just kinda walked off.I didn't get to see her long as it gets real thick in there, real quick. I check my phone and it says 9:50 a.m. so that put my shot right at 9:45 a.m.

There is a side story to this deer, hope you enjoy it and hopefully someone could actually learn something from it.

I thumped her then started sending texts and laughing and being happy. That is how I am when I kill a deer. Anyway, after about 30 minutes I climb down real easy and ease over to where my arrow is sticking in the ground.I notice immediately that it is covered in blood, just like it is supposed to be. I walk a step closer and on my white fletching I see something that is NOT supposed to be on a straight broadside shot, GUT.Talk about a sick feeling, wow. I am, of course, beating myself up and wondering how I could blow an 18 yard broadside shot.

I immediately took out some toilet paper and mark where my arrow is and back out slowly and quietly.I gather my junk and head out towards the "Y" in the trail where I was to meet doublelung and tiretool at just after 10:30.

I started down the logging road in the direction of the Y and then I realized I was going downhill and I didn't remember going up any hill on the way to the stand so I turned around and went back to the stand. In my haste to get out I had taken the wrong trail out and now I realized I had to walk out in the same direction the deer had gone. I feared jumping her up so I VERY slowly started down the trail. I paused where she did and stood there for a while looking, trying to see her bedded down or something. Then I looked down and saw some bright red blood. I kept going for another 15 yards following a really good blood trail then it turned off into the thick stuff.

Being thoroughly confused at this point I eased on out to meet them.After telling my tale of woe I knew, just as they suggested, there was no other option but to go back to the barn and wait.

After about 2 hours we FINALLY went to get on blood. I replayed the entire deal back to them then we hit the trail. After turning into the thick stuff, about 20 yards later the deer started going downhill towards a jungle of green briar and stuff. As soon as the trail started down the blood STOPPED. I mean just like the dreaded faucet, it turned off. Man I haven't felt that sinking feeling in a long time and it was just as bad as ever.

Hands and knees, slowly moving in each possible direction, looking for turned up leaves, the whole nine yard deal. I was getting sicker and sicker by the minute.Then ole tiretool, who had waded off into the thick stuff yelled, "Come on, here she is."

Whew is about all I could say.Turns out she MUST have been quartered towards me quite a bit more than I realized and my entry hit intenstine but didn't quite puncture the gut. Exit was just a tad high but did get one lung.The smartest thing I have done in a long time was to get out of there quick and quiet and force myself, with their help, to wait it out.

If I had turned off that logging road and followed that blood she would have been somewhere near the Mississippi line by the time she stopped.

So, if you are ever unsure of your shot or the facts (sign) don't add up to your story, it is best to just wait. I am a firm believer in that for sure.Doublelung paid me a nice compliment saying that was a good thing to do. I just laughed and said the sad part is I didn't learn that the easy way.

We didn't weigh her but she was about 100# field dressed, if not a little over.Field dressed her, took out her tenderloins, put them in salt water (they dry out too easy to leave in for long) then went to town to eat and check the deer in.

The afternoon hunt found me in a ground blind on the edge of a food plot that has been VERY hot lately.Within minutes of getting in the blind, well doublelung could still hear me unzipping panels and stuff when he spotted this pretty 4 point in the field.He was still a couple hundred yards away when I took this picture and had to crop on it a bit.

Then when the buck got to within 15 yards of my blind the wind shifted and apparently I stunk too bad for him.

Between the wind, me stinking, and some dogs in the area that is the only deer we saw till right at dark and that one busted me too.

Later that night doublelung found out he had to leave camp for a few hours due to prior engagements. Actually he didn't know anything about them but his wife called and said he didn't HAVE to go, but well, if you are married you understand.

So he left and I began to realize I was hungry.I remembered the loins soaking in salt water so I started snooping around the kitchen and found some creole seasoning, oil, wheat bread, strawberry preserves and a cast iron skillet.I will let the pictures tell this part.

Yep ole RUGER been taking care of himself for a while and I did purdy good for supper.

Only one bad part about hunting with doublelung, as soon as I get home I am always ready to go back.

Hope you enjoyed my hunt as much as I did.God bless and good hunting always,D.